Portman Group denies example setting as Brew Dog holds firm
The Portman Group has denied that Aberdeenshire-based micro brewery Brew Dog is being targeted as an example, as the brewer vowed to fight a claim by The Portman Group that its packaging and marketing potentially breaches its official code of conduct.
Brew Dog’s packaging for its beers, Hop Rocker, Punk PA and Rip Tide are the products causing concerns which were raised by Management consultancy, PIPC which collected a random sample of 485 drinks before assessing their packaging against the Code. It then expressed concerns over the packaging of 32 brands, of which Brew Dog was one.
In response to claims that the company was being singled out, a spokesperson for The Portman Group said: “Brew Dog is not being used as an example. Every year we give confidential advice to hundreds of companies to help them ensure their marketing is responsible. It’s extremely rare for a company to go public when we do so.”
Brew Dog has confirmed that it will not be asking Hampton Associates, the design company which created the packaging, to review or re-design its work.
James Watt, managing director of Brew Dog, said: “We will most definitely fight this.
They’re funded by companies such as Diageo, InBev and Scottish & Newcastle. These are the companies that are responsible for people walking out of Tesco’s with 24 cans of lager at a time. I agree with what they are trying to do, to promote responsible drinking, but to target a niche, boutique brewer and to take things out of context on its labels in the process is unbelievable. It’s insulting the intelligence of the consumer.”
The spokesperson for The Portman Group explained that the company would be offered free and confidential advice to alter the packaging in order to comply with the codes, or may wait for the Independent Complaints Panel to rule on the case.
If the complaint is upheld, stockists – such as Tesco – will be asked to de-list the product until it adheres with the code.